Bubble package with permanent sliding lid



May 14, 1968 c. M. PHIPPS BUBBLE PACKAGE WITH PERMANENT SLIDING LID Filed Sept. 29, 1966 KR x m M V WM ms C YJ BR United States Patent 3,382,972 BUBBLE PACKAGE WITH PERMANENT SLIDING LID Cornelius M. Phipps, 511 N. Stoddard, Wheaton, Ill. 60187 Filed Sept. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 582,969 Claims. (Cl, 206-78) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A package for consumer product is formed of a cardboard backing member and a plastic bubble member. The plastic bubble has a peripheral flange in face to face relationship with the cardboard backing member and affixed thereto. Between the flange and the central part of the bubble the plastic defines a step which in conjunction with the backing member forms a peripheral groove. A lid is slideably received in this groove. The backing member has a closed line of perforations which define a removable closure, which when removed leaves an opening exposing the lid. This opening is enlarged at one end so that the lid will slide through the opening to expose the contents of the package.

This invention relates to a display package for consumer products, and more particularly to a reusable form of display package of the type wherein the product is visibly enclosed within a transparent plastic bubble mounted on a display card.

This type of packaging has become extremely popular in recent years. One reason for this is because the product to be sold can be visibly contained within a protective covering at a minimal cost. Furthermore, the packaging may be attractively decorated and conveniently located on easily accessible display racks to induce impulse sales. After purchasing a product so packaged, the consumer usually opens the package by ripping away at least a portion of the cardboard backing. This is sometimes a good deal more difiicult than it appears because portions of the plastic bubble frequently are bonded to this backing. As a result, the package is frequently ruined so that it is fit only to be discarded. Where several of the same item are sold in a single display package, another container must be located to contain and store the excess.

It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a display package of the type described which provides improved means of gaining entry therein without mutilating the package, and accordingly, this is a general object of the present invention.

Another object and an advantage of the present invention is the provision of a removable and reinsertable lid which permits the display package to be reused which is desirable inasmuch 'as it is the natural container for the goods originally purchased therein. As will be seen, this lid is of simple construction and permits the package to be easily opened and closed.

Other objects, advantages, and features will become readily apparent upon a reading of the following description when taken in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a sample form of display package including both a backing member and transparent plastic display bubble attached thereto, said display package incorporating the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the display package shown in FIG. 1 prior to its being opened, and shows a closed loop of perforations in the backing card which forms a removable portion or closure by which entry 3,382,972 Patented May 14, 1968 ICC into the product carrying bubble enclosure is facilitated;

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the display package similar to FIG. 2, but with the removable portion removed to show the position of the sliding lid in its closed position;

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the display package similar to that shown in FIG. 3, but with the sliding lid partially drawn open to show the manner in which the lid is movable to permit removal and reinsertion of the product purchased therein; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the display package taken substantially along the line 55 of FIG. 1.

Although the following disclosure offered for public dissemination is detailed to ensure adequacy and aid understanding, this is not intended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to :cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how others may later disguise it by variations in form or additions or further improvements. The claims at the end hereof are intended as the chief aid towards this purpose; as it is these that meet the requirement of pointing out the parts, improvements, or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, the embodiment shown for illustration includes a backing member generally 10 in the form of a display card of cardboard or other suitable material. Upper portion 11 of card 10 may include a hole 12 therethrough to facilitate hanging the display package in a convenient and readily accessible location, and front face 13 of upper portion 11 may bear the usual labeling, such as brand name and product description, as well as other suitable decor, not shown.

Mounted on the front face of card 10 is a bubble container or receptacle generally 15 preformed from a sheet of transparent material. Receptacle 15' is of generally rectangular shape and includes a flange portion 16 bonded or otherwise secured to card 10, a central bubble portion 17 forming a sealed enclosure in conjunction with the lower central portion of card 10, and a stepped portion 18 connecting flange portion 16 with bubble portion 17 and forming an internal and inwardly facing groove 20* annularly therearound in conjunction with adjacent portions of card 10. Receptacle 15 may be constructed of any suitable transparent material known in the art, but is preferably formed of a heat-sealable plastic.

Carried between bubble portion 17 and card 10 are closure means in the form of a removable and reinsertable sliding cover or lid 21 of generally rectangular shape.

Lid 21 may be made of cardboard or other suitable material and is appropriately sized so that its outer edge portions lie in the groove 20 formed by stepped portions 18 and backing member 10. Lid 21 has a hole 22 therethrough at one end to facilitate its removal, this operation to be described later.

As is best seen in FIG. 2, backing member 10 has a closed and generally rectangular loop of perforations 24 therein which define a removable portion or closure 25 of generally the same outer dimensions as bubble portion 17, and it is positioned directly therebehind. Closure 25 may be thought of also as defining opening means as its removal creates a generally rectangular hole through the backing member which exposes all but three outer edge portions of lid 21, these outer edge portions being and contained by the then exposed inner edge 26 of card 10 as formed by removal of closure 25. Edges 26 define an opening exposing the central portion of card 21. Groove 20 is therefore not destroyed upon removal of closure 25. However, the upper end of closure 25 is modified slightly with an outwardly extending and centrally located tab 27,

3 and each corner portion 28 adjacent thereto is extended laterally outwardly to form opening extensions 29' which permits the sliding removal of lid 21 after closure 25 is removed. At the opening extensions 29, the opening defined by the removal of closure 25 is wider than the corresponding dimension of card 21.

As illustrated, bubble portion 17 may be formed with a plurality of compartments or spacer grooves 30 to separate a plurality of objects carried therein, the sample illustratedshowing a plurality of parallel grooves or troughs for pleasingly aligning and separating a plurality of consumer products therein, herein shown representatively as :a plurality of crayons 31.

In assembling the display package, bubble portion 17 of the transparent preformed container is filled with the appropriate consumer product. Lid 2 1 is then set in place so as to loosely rest on the ledge for-med by stepped portion 18. Flange portions 16 are then appropriately positioned on the card 10 so as to entirely surround perforations 24, and flange portion 16 is then secured to the card 10. In the illustrated embodiment, this securing is done by applying heat to the flange portion which bonds it to the card 10. This completes the packaging operation.

Upon purchasing a product so packaged, the consumer opens the package by first removing closure 25 of the backing member 10. This is facilitated by the tab 27 which may be pushed in and grasped by the fingers, and the perforations 24 ensure that portion 25 is neatly and easily ripped away.

Removal of closure 25 thus exposes slidea-ble lid 21, generally as shown in FIG. 3. Lid 21 now forms a slidevable cover for the items contained within the bubble portion 17, and the lid is held in place Within the groove 20. However, the shape of the hole through card 10, as formed by removing closure 25, includes the relatively widely spaced portion at the top thereof as formed by corner portions 28 of closure 25, this widely spaced portion being slightly wider than lid 21. Therefore, a finger may be inserted into hole 22 of lid 21, and the lid may be removed by sliding it out through this wide portion of the hole substantially as shown in FIG. 4, groove acting as a track to guide the lids movement.

Thus, objects within the display package are readily accessible, and these objects may be easily removed and returned to the display package in which they were purchased by merely sliding lid 21 between an open and a closed position. Obviously, lid 21 could be of a diiferent shape, or even of an entirely different configuration, and closure might .be entirely eliminated in some applications.

Invention is claimed as follows:

1. Display packaging for consumer goods comprising a generally flat cardboard backing in the form of a display card, a preformed transparent plastic sheet having an outer peripheral flange in face to face relation to the backing and heat sealed to said backing, central portions of said plastic sheet bulging outwardly from the front surface of said backing to form a transparent container for said consumer goods, said cardboard backing having a closed line of weakened area in juxtaposition to said container to define a removable closure which when removed and discarded leaves an opening in the backing, and removable and reinsertable lid means carried generally between said central portions and said backing for covering the opening formed by removal of said closure to thereby permit the storage of said consumer goods within said central portions when the consumer goods are not In use.

v2. Display packaging according to claim 1, wherein said plastic sheet includes a stepped portion between said edge portions and said central portions to thereby form an inwardly opening groove in conjunction with said flat cardboard backing, said lid being slideably contained within said groove, and wherein said opening is widely spaced at one end thereof to facilitate sliding said lid therethrough between an open and closed position upon removal of said closure.

6. A display package for consumer products comprising a plastic bubble having peripheral outwardly extending flanges and a step between the bubble and the flanges; a cardboard backing member abutting the flanges and affixed thereto, said member having edges defining an opening opposite the bubble which edges extend inwardly about the step so that the plastic and the cardboard at the step define a groove about the opening, at one end of said opening said edges being a greater distance apart to define side extensions of the opening which extensions make the opening at that point approximately as wide as the bubble is at the step; and a sliding lid closing said opening, said lid having side edges in said groove with the lid edges being a distance apart which is less than the .width of the opening at the extensions, said lid having means by which it may be grasped by the users fingers to r slide the lid out through the opening at the extensions.

4. A package as set forth in claim 3, including a disposable closure positioned in said opening and releasably attached to said backing member.

5. A package as set forth in claim 4, wherein said closure is integral with the backing member and the releasable attachment being along a perforated line.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,157,280 11/1964 tPerdue et al. 206-78 2,679,349 5/1954 Mullinix 229511 X 3,002,674 10/ 1961 Wright 2295 1 1 2,593,333 4/1952 Myers 22943 X 3,074,540 1/1963 'Beich et al. 206-78 X 2,971,638 2/1961 Allison et al.

3,036,729 5/ 1962 Asman 2295 11 3,207,411 9/1965 Farguhar 229-5 11 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,014,946 12/1965 Great Britain.

JOSEPH R. LECLA-IR, Primary Examiner.

THERON E. CONDON, Examiner.

I. M. CASK'IE, Assistant Examiner. 

